1. Technical Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to a semiconductor film containing a group 13 element, nitrogen, and oxygen and a manufacturing method thereof, a light receiving element using the semiconductor film, an electrophotographic photoreceptor, a process cartridge, and an image forming device.
2. Related Art
To date, as a non-single crystal optical semiconductor, amorphous chalcogenide compounds such as selenium and tellurium have been conventionally used as a photoelectric conversion member for a camera tube, a light receiving element, an electrophotographic photoreceptor, and the like. Moreover, recently hydrogenated amorphous silicon has been used for a solar battery, an image sensor, a thin film transistor, an electrophotographic photoreceptor, and the like.
On the other hand, an amorphous material of a group III-V compound semiconductor has been discussed (group number by IUPAC Nomenclature of Inorganic Compounds 1989 revised edition, group III (IIIb) is group 13, group V is group 15).
Conventionally, an amorphous material of a group III-V compound semiconductor is film-formed by vapor deposition or sputtering of a group III-V crystal, alternatively by a reaction between an atomic group III metal, and a molecule or an activated molecule including a group V element. Moreover, a group III-V film is formed on a heated substrate by so-called MOCVD (Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition), using an organometallic compound including a group III metal and an organometallic compound including a group V element.
On the other hand, it is reported that, if this semiconductor contains a lot of oxygen, carbons, and hydrogen, the structure becomes two dimensional and soft, thus unstable.
Moreover, recently, electrophotography is widely used for a copier, a printer, and the like. An electrophotographic photoreceptor (hereunder, also called a “photoreceptor”) used for an image forming device utilizing such electrophotography is subject to various contact or stress in the device, causing deterioration. However, on the other hand, high reliability is desired together with digitalization and colorization of the image forming device.
From such a background, a longer lifetime is desired for an electrophotographic photoreceptor. Since abrasion resistance is needed to be improved for a longer lifetime of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, the hardness of the photoreceptor surface is required to be increased.